I've started work on a book about British record shops for a tiny Greenwich publisher. Very early days - I interviewed Geoff Travis (Rough Trade) last week and will intv Roger & Ted of Rock On (and thus Ace) tomorrow - hopefully building up enough material to provide an overview of when the British record shop was a salon (of sorts), an energy centre and font of knowledge for music fans. Leon has built a remarkable amount of info' on his website so I will be regularly relying on his knowledge for this. But you guys might also be able to help.

For starters: as between us we read a lot of books on music and musicians I was wondering if anyone has come across references to specific record shops whilst reading biographies and such? Or have you had a record shop encounter with an artist who later went on to make music of note?

Leon has found out that Dusty Springfield worked as a teenager in Squire of Ealing - that's cool! And Adam has posted about being served by Shane McGowan at Rock On. Excellent!

As everyone used to have to go to record shops to buy the music they wanted to listen to - and as record shops were places where you could learn about music from knowledgable staff or other patrons - pretty much every musician made use of them. Do many get mentioned in autobiographies/biographies/musical histories? Any such quotes/references appreciated. Also: you are welcome to share your own specific memories. I can't guarantee I'll use them but they all will be appreciated.

I want the book to reflect how passionate we once were about record shops, what they meant to us and why. Your contributions welcome!

Ta for contributions - yes Probe famously had several future pop stars behind the counter. Holly Johnson too, I believe. That surely is the most ever in one UK shop? Elton John put in hours at Music Land in Soho both before and after finding fame. And Danny Baker also in Soho - I read the first volume of his autobiography and he recalls that time.

I'm interested in anything else you have come across in your reading or conversations - BB King loved to shop in Dobells. Surely other musicians were regulars at certain shops? Rough Trade's Geoff Travis told me he knew Strummer and Jones and McLaren as customers while Steve Jones would come in trying to sell stolen LPs! I'm interested in any references you come across.

In the booklet with Ace's Rock On CD Ted Carroll remembers "Joe Strummer's weekly Friday morning visit to enquire politely whether I'd managed to locate a recording of 'Junco Partner' yet". The booklet also has a photo of Joe with two members of the Pop Group at the Soho Market stall in 1979.http://acerecords.co.uk/rock-on

I suppose "High Fidelity" is the obvious contender. I resisted seeing the film for many years because they had American-ised something which was so wonderfully English in Nick Hornby's book. When I finally did see it, I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Well there were so many record shops in and around the Wood Green/Muswell Hill area in the 60's all with listening booths where, if you were really clever you could squish 4 people in at a time to hear the latest singles from Bobby Vee and the Crickets or the Everly Brothers or Frank Ifield or indeed Charlie Drake. Most shops are gone now and some shops selling other things (furniture shops etc) had a record section at the back..

I suppose "High Fidelity" is the obvious contender. I resisted seeing the film for many years because they had American-ised something which was so wonderfully English in Nick Hornby's book. When I finally did see it, I thoroughly enjoyed it.

I thought you were a bit mean to Bruce Springsteen - his appearance in the movie is genuinely funny, after all - but I suppose being mean about "The Boss" is something I cannot claim innocence of myself. His little moment is so perfect, and he was a good sport to agree to do it, I almost felt like giving him another chance. Almost.

(I used to think that women shouldn't be allowed to read "High Fidelity" as it was too truthful about men (alright, straight men). Now I am inclined to think they ought to read it on their fifteenth birthdays, or perhaps twelfth. But I wonder how true it still is...)

Maybe this is a good place to make a confession. I spent so much of my youth (and all my money) in second hand record shops, they meant so much to me, were such a safe haven from the dangers and expectations of rapidly approaching adulthood, that their gradual evaporation over the last twenty five years or so has been too painful for me to really deal with. I pretend they never existed, it's easier that way. When I do buy second hand records (rarely these days), I tend to do it on the internet. It's not the same, it's not as much fun, but when they turn up the moment of joy is intense, if fleeting. But it doesn't compare with the feeling of rushing home with something you've been looking for for ages in a bag that proclaims your coolness to the world, getting in, closing the door, getting it on the turntable, turning up the volume. Oh... That was sweet, sweet indeed. Nothing else mattered.

So I'd like to publicly apologise to Leon for not being more of a help in his wonderful work in documenting these disappeared shops. Doing a gig for him last year was the least I could do, but it's all too painful, too close to the bone. It reminds me how long ago it all was and how truly old I am.

Great review Andy. Now I'm going to have to watch the damn thing again. Don't remember getting that much out of it at the time.

Spent way too much time in record shops (see also public houses) and wallowed in the bitter sweetness of discovering new and old things there. I mourned their loss but I'm pretty much over it now. As you say Adam I pretend they never existed (proper pubs as well for that matter).

Great review, Andy. though you liked the film more than me - I watched it again the other night on TV and while it works on some levels I found it a bit too slick (and the girlfriends all far too beautiful for the main character - but i guess it is male fantasy writ large). I know the album you bought - Inflammable Material. You were waiting on the new Green Day and the film pointed you in the direction of Belfast punk!

I interviewed Ted, Roger and Viki of Rock On (now all at Ace) yesterday. They had great stories. How amazing it must have been to shop at those Rock On stalls in the 70s and 80s.

I'm now in Newcastle seeing old friends and doing a bit of northern research - there are a bunch of shops here and I've picked up a few things. York and Sheffield to follow before I return to London to go to a gig full of High Fidelity blokes: Radio Birdman.

PS Thanks for all the comments - I'll keep the film scenes list British but very interesting to note all the others. And Jude, thanks for the tip on Les Aldrich Music - I never knew it existed so must visit!